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Shareholders' Equity (Details) (USD $)
Share data in Millions, unless otherwise specified
 12 Months Ended
Jan. 30, 2015
Jan. 31, 2014
Feb. 01, 2013
Shareholders' Equity      
Reduction in retained earnings $ 3,600,000,000low_AdjustmentsToRetainedEarningsShareRepurchase $ 3,400,000,000low_AdjustmentsToRetainedEarningsShareRepurchase  
Share Repurchases      
Share repurchases, value 3,927,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue [1] 3,770,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue [1] 4,393,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue
Share repurchases, shares 74.7us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares 87.6us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares  
Share Repurchase Program [Member]      
Share Repurchases      
Share repurchases, value 3,880,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= low_ShareRepurchaseProgramMember		 [1] 3,732,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= low_ShareRepurchaseProgramMember		 [1]  
Share repurchases, shares 73.8us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= low_ShareRepurchaseProgramMember		 86.6us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= low_ShareRepurchaseProgramMember		  
Shares Withheld from Employees [Member]      
Share Repurchases      
Share repurchases, value $ 47,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= low_SharesRepurchasedFromEmployeesMember		 [1] $ 38,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= low_SharesRepurchasedFromEmployeesMember		 [1]  
Share repurchases, shares 0.9us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= low_SharesRepurchasedFromEmployeesMember		 1.0us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= low_SharesRepurchasedFromEmployeesMember		  
[1] Reductions of $3.6 billion and $3.4 billion were recorded to retained earnings, after capital in excess of par value was depleted, for 2014 and 2013, respectively.